After the Losses
by AlumLniaa
Summary: The second are "Depths of Flame" is up. Spoilers for chapter 102
1. Chapter 1

**Warning: spoilers for chapter 102.**

**I read this chapter earlier today and had this idea running in my head all day, I'm thinking of making it multi chapter, please review**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist, I'm only obsessed with it**

The battle had ended, the enemy had been conquered, but it wasn't anything like the victory they had wanted, in the end no-one was whole.

He had lost his opportunity to see the rebirth of his country, and to see anything at all. Edward hadn't regained his limbs but at least had his brother back. Alphonse had regained his body, but had gained the burden of guilt that his brothers' sacrifice hadn't been returned. He hadn't even thought about the young man from Xing.

From what he had heard from General Armstrong's men the boy had lost one of his guards in his battle with Wrath and he already knew the other guard had lost her arm long ago, but most of all the kid had lost his soul.

"Prince Yao" he called as he held onto the shoulder of Riza Hawkeye, who had escorted him to remnants of the Central battle field. Though he could not see it he knew it had been a violent battle, the smell of gunpowder and freshly spilt blood was still strong.

"Huh?" said the man who stood atop the rubble.

"You mean the kid" He said pointing at himself "sorry, I don't think he's going to be coming out any time soon."

"I presume your Greed."

"Yeah, if you need a recount of what happened I'll answer any questions for the kid, but a lots happened and I don't think the kids ready to talk yet?"

"I understand, if I can help with anything I'll be at the temporary central command, so look me up there." He turned to leave when Greed suddenly called him back.

"Hey wait a second" he said as he rubbed his head and mumbled something "The kid wants to talk to you."

"Colonel Mustang, I need an automail engineer, I think my comrades damaged her arm."

"I think I can help you there." He responded before asking "so, you're the Xinganese prince now, correct?"

"Yeah, Greed and I have an understanding about control." He said his eyes flashing a dark purple for a moment, his voice in a tone that told him not to bring up the subject again. He left saying he had to go retrieve his comrade who had stayed at the main gate to protect the Briggs men.

His footsteps returned minutes later, this time joined with those of his remaining body guard. Her steps where slow and there was an audible clank of metal as her automail swung limply from her shoulder.

"-I just wish we had something we could use a sling." He heard the xingese man say.

"Here let me try something." Said Roy as he took off his jacket. He took a deep breath as he put his hands together, as he had seen Edward do a million times, and placed them on his torn jacket, he let out a sight as he felt the rough military fabric soften and change shape.

"Without a purification circle?" said Ling as he took the newly made sling.

"Like Greed said, a lots happened."

They walked back to Central command all having felt their losses and all striving to find a way to live without them.

**Thanks for reading and I'm sorry if I spoiled something for you, I think the next chapter will be more about RanFan and Riza**


	2. Reason Enough

**Okay this is the second chapter to "After the losses"; it's going to focus more on Riza and RanFan this time.**

**Warning: spoilers for chapter 102**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist**

* * *

RanFan sighed as she leaned against the blank wall, another twitch in her shoulder told her she had to get her arm repaired before it completely fell apart. It wasn't that the damage was extensive but because it was so close to her shoulder, where skin met metal.

They were at the Central temporary command where remaining members of the Amestrian military where trying to regain order. In the room she was sitting outside of, her Prince, colonel Roy Mustang and a female General where yelling about something, she stayed in the hallway.

She didn't really know what to do, her grandfather was dead, her prince didn't have complete control of his own soul, and her arm felt like it was going to fall off. Going back to Xing wasn't an option at the moment, she couldn't return without the prince, and she knew that crossing the desert with auto mail was practically suicide, hell it was suicide to cross it the first time.

As these and a million other thoughts crossed her mind, a physical and emotionally exhausted Riza Hawkeye turned into the hallway, sighed and slumped to the floor.

Not wanting to disturb the already frazzled women, RanFan tried to leave without being noticed, but her malfunctioning automail betrayed her, making a clearly audible "CLANG" as it swung limply from her shoulder.

The women looked up, hand already going to a handgun; out of instinct RanFan drew here kunai.

Both looked at each other for a second, both with weapons drawn and ready to kill each other. The staring continued for five seconds before both burst out laughing, it wasn't a happy laugh, it was more like hysteria that had been building up for years and it was the bitter-sweet sound of having survived the worst of battle.

"I'm sorry about that" said RanFan as her knees gave out and she sunk to the floor.

"It's fine; it was my fault anyway, just attacking like that. If it makes you feel better the gun wasn't loaded, I used up all the bullets earlier."

"I wouldn't be much in a fight either with my arm messed up" said RanFan as she wondered why she was telling this woman of her weakness.

"Heh, why when we can't fight, why is it that the word attack the first thing we think of"

"If we knew that then life wouldn't feel as muddled as it is."

They stayed silent for a few minutes, both staring at the floor on which they sat, admiring the simple white tiles with the simple black lines.

"Why did you fight this battle, why did you rush headfirst into this hell?"One of them asked as they turned their gaze towards the blank ceiling.

"Because, I had to follow someone I had sworn to protect." The other replied as they too admired the other responded as they also looked up at the white ceiling.

"That's reason enough."


	3. Press On

**Okay chapter 3, it's shifting back to Roy and Ling this time, I hope it's not too boring.**

**Note: This takes place while RanFan and Riza are sitting in the hallway.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or any of it themes or characters.**

* * *

"So what are you going to do now Mustang?" asked the Blond women in a cold voice, no trace of sympathy for the blind man who stood in front of her.

"I don't know breath air and expel carbon dioxide I guess, General Armstrong." Replied to man sarcastically.

"You know what I mean" she spat out a look of deep annoyance in her eyes.

"There's not much I can do, I expect I'll be receiving a discharge letter in a few hours."

She looked at him for another second before turning to Ling "what about you, Xinganese Prince, what will you do?"

"I'm honestly not sure, I was planning to bring the philosophers stone back to my country and present it to the Emperor, but I don't know anymore, after seeing how it corrupted this country I'm not sure. Hell even if I go back I'm not sure how anything I've done will help my clan anymore, hell I don't even know if the Emperor is still alive."

Roy remembered how Greed had said the young Xinganese man wasn't ready to talk and feared a mental breakdown from the young Prince. General Armstrong however wasn't about to develop pity for children.

"So what you're telling me is that we have to cowards here who aren't man enough to handle their situations, is that it?"

The room was silent for a few moments before she strode to the door and said "Mustang, leave the military if you want, I'll take my place at the top on my own. Oh and Xing boy, I'm sure the Chang heiress will take her opportunity in her home country, feel free to hide in Amestris." The door slammed leaving both men with her words ringing in their ears.

"She's a very soft hearted women isn't she." Asked Ling.

"Heh, I think she'll run this country all right though."

"So you're going give up on leadership then" asked Ling sitting down on an empty chair.

"I need someone to lead _me_ down the hallway; I don't know if I'll be able to lead a country." He hesitated while he felt around for a chair and sat down "what about you, will you be returning to Xing or staying to watch this broken country try to get back on its feet."

"I'm not really sure where I belong, hell I'm not even completely human anymore." He sighed and slumped in his chair a little. "Heh, I guess if worst comes to worst, I could go with Greeds idea and open a bar while I try to take up a plan for world domination."

"Greed really going to do that?" asked Roy.

"I'm not sure about the bar part, but taking over the world is definitely on his list."

"You agreed with that?"

"Even if I'm not, Greed will try it anyway."

"I thought you both had equal control."

"No, we have an understanding but Greed still has more control than I do, He'll let me have control when it's convenient but he can take it back at any second."

"I guess Armstrong's right then, we really can't control our situations"

Silence rang around the room again as both men thought about what they had lost, not only in their battle but on their journey, both thought about the goals they had made, back when life had seemed so much simpler, both thought if those goals had been worth the losses.

"I guess all we can do is press on."

* * *

**Lame ending I know, but still I'm thinking of posting another chapter, please review and comment.**


	4. I will follow you

**This hasn't been updated for a long time, thank finals and writers block for that, but I finally have some free time so here we are.**

**Spoilers: blah blah blah blah 102 **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist; if I did the universe (all of them) would collapse.**

* * *

_ "Those eyes, so clear and focused…_

_ I love them…_

_ I look forward, to seeing those eyes become clouded by suffering_

_ That day will come, very soon."_

"Colonel, Colonel Mustang?"

His eyes shot open, but he stayed in the darkness, he was covered in cold sweat as he awoke on a moving train, to his right his subordinate had a firm grip on his shoulder, a worried look on her face.

"Hey, what happened?" he asked, pressing a hand to his forehead.

"You where thrashing around in your sleep, sir, I thought it would be best to wake you."

"Oh, right." He thought back to his dream, to the homunculus long since dead, of her parting words, of the truth behind them.

"Lieutenant, are we close to Resembool?"

"No sir, we've just passed East City."

"Where's Fullmetal?"

"He's in the next cabin over taking care of Alphonse."

"And the Xinganese prince?"

"With his bodyguard, two cabins over."

"Lieutenant," he hesitated. "What will you do now?"

"What do you mean, sir?" She looked down to avoid his unseeing gaze.

"Will you stay with the military or…?"

"I believe we quit the military when we where branded as traitors, sir."

"Then why do you keep calling me 'sir'?"

"Why do you still call me 'lieutenant'?"

"Force of habit I guess." He responded lamely. "Lieute- Riza, do you think all of this was worth it?"

"All of what, sir?" she asked hesitantly, her hand unconsciously going to her neck, the scar across it.

"Everything Ishbal, the rebellion, what everyone lost."

"No sir, it wasn't worth it."

"I see, thanks for being truthful-."

"But we're alive and that's the simple truth and that's enough to shoulder everything and strive for tomorrow; to stubbornly cling to the will to survive, isn't it sir."

"Yes, thank you."

* * *

"Hey, toots." Said Greed as he opened the door to the train cabin and woke the young Xinganese women inside.

Her eyes snapped open, right hand going to a kunai strapped to her ankle, left hand not there at all.

"Hey, hey, watch that thing you can poke some-ones eye out or something." Said Greed as he backed away from the weapon held at his throat.

"Greed" she said through clenched teeth. "What do you want?"

"_I_ don't want anything; it's the brat who wants to talk to you" His eyes melted from the cold purple to the soft black orbs she knew.

"Master?" she gazed at him as he rubbed his head and looked up.

"RanFan! Are you all right?" He asked, staring at the automail port and the mechanical arm that laid in a case next to her.

"Yes young master." She said following his gaze to her detached arm. "Edward said it would put more stain of the structure if I kept it on, so I took it off."

He looked at the arm; it was broken in several places, especially at the shoulder area. He looked up at RanFan and knew that the flesh was raw where the skin met metal.

"How's your shoulder." He asked deciding to get to the point instead of pointlessly blathering.

"Its fine I believe it will be able to take the automail easily and it shouldn't cause any problem-"

"The part of your shoulder you can feel RanFan."

"Oh, it fine."

He knew she was lying, he knew her shoulder had almost been torn off in the battle earlier; he knew she was too strong to admit it.

"Here let me see." He said as he crossed the four feet to her seat by the window.

"But, young Master." She tried to shift away as Ling rolled up her sleeve, revealing red flesh that had been clotted with dry blood.

"RanFan, why didn't you ask for treatment at Central, we could have prevented this." Said Ling staring at the scarred skin that touched the metal surface of the automail port.

"Oh, it didn't really seem important."

Ling stared in silent disbelief for a second before he started to search for a first aid kit in the luggage compartment of the cabin. RanFan never cared for herself first; only for others, that much was clear by her missing arm, more so by the scars around the base of her shoulder where she had refused to let her fall.

"RanFan."

"Yes, Young Master."

"Thank you."

* * *

"There's no need to thank me, I decided long ago I would follow you to hell and back."

* * *

** Okay that's chapter four, next time we arrive in Resembool **

**Note: RanFan and Ling are going to get RanFans automail repaired and Roy and Riza are going just to get away from Central for awhile.( Is that a lame excuse? '-')**


	5. Not Alone

**Fifth chapter, I think this is the best way to bring in the New Year, watching Death Note marathon while typing up Fan Fiction, too bad every day can't be like this.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist**

* * *

"Oh wow, this is amazing!" exclaimed the blue-eyed girl as she lifted RanFans automail out of the case it was in. "This parts messed up a little but the overall work is just amazing, the shoulders been modified so that it won't put any strain on the forearm when the blade comes out of the elbow and the wrist had been set up so-"

RanFan stopped listening, mainly because she couldn't understand what Winry was saying. Nonetheless she was somewhat relieved the young automail mechanic had finally stopped crying after the Elric brothers had come in. She had pulled them into a death gripping hug until Alphonse's stomach started growling and he was allowed into the kitchen to devour everything in sight.

"Anyway, you might want to get out of those clothes for the time being."

"Huh?" said RanFan

"Your clothes, you should change."

She looked down at her black uniform, with the metal plate over the chest and the metal armor covering her right arm, the iron spikes on her knuckles and shoes; she could see how her outfit might not be appropriate in a normal household.

"But I didn't bring anything else." She realized out loud.

"It's fine; you can borrow some of my clothes." Replied Winry happily, leading her upstairs. "You can just pick out anything you want" She said pointing to the closet before leaving the room.

RanFan looked at her choices, in all it was a pretty broad selection, but everything seemed very colorful and revealing not at all like her black combat uniform that she had been wearing since becoming a guard. After much consideration she ended up wearing black pants, a red and black shirt with long sleeves to cover her armless shoulder. She kept her own shoes that she could strap a kunai to but removed the spikes that went across the front of them.

As she was going back down the stairs she heard Winry say "-I can do a little maintenance on it, but for it to be fully repaired she's going to have to go back to the person who created it, and just from watching her movements I think she should go back to her rehabilitation; how long was she in rehab last time?"

"About six months I think." Ling replied.

"WHAT!?" Shrieked Winry as she half-walked half-ran to the stairwell RanFan was standing by. "That arm is a piece of art, if you weren't serious about rehab of course it would be in this condition and-"

"Miss Winry." Said Ling softly grabbing the young blonds shoulder "I'm sorry, it was my fault, all of it.

He left the room, leaving RanFan and Winry in silence, finally RanFan said "I'm sorry about the condition of the arm; I should have taken better care of it." Her voice was reduced to a whisper as muttered another apology and fell into a nearby chair staring at the mangled arm in the case.

"RanFan, what happened?"

"More than I can say, more than I know."

"Tell me what you _do_ know, please."

* * *

Ling started walking after he ran out of the house, not really going anywhere just trying to get away from the guilt that surrounded him. He walked until he found himself on top of a hill, in front of the charred remains of a house; he looked at it for a second and turned to leave before he heard someone say- "Prince Yao?"

He turned to find lieutenant Hawkeye standing on the other side of the destroyed house staring at him questionably.

"Oh, Miss Hawkeye, what are you doing here?" he asked

"I just wanted to walk and I guess I just ended up here." She said circling the burned house and approaching Ling

"Oh, do you know whose house this is?"

"It's the Elric brothers."

"What happened to it?

"From what I've heard they burned it down themselves."

"Why" he asked angrily "why when they could have a home to return to why would they-."

"They say it's so that they _can't _go back, but I think it's because they wanted to escape some of the guilt they had left there."

"Must be nice to be able to get rid of guilt." said Ling without thinking.

"Yes, it would be, but as those brothers know, hiding the source won't stop it from coming, only time and action will."

Ling thought of Fuu, his sacrifice of life, of RanFan and her arm, of the journey through this foreign country, of avarice that dominated his soul.

"Maybe we can never run away from guilt, but we can strive for forgiveness, from those who were hurt and ourselves."

* * *

"-and I don't even know if I'll be able to get back to Xing now." RanFan finished, staring at the ground her remaining are clenched in a tight fist.

Winry said nothing as she finished hearing RanFans tragic tale, what really amazed her was that RanFan was able to relive that entire experience without shedding a single tear.

"RanFan, do you blame Ling for any of that."

"What?! No, I could never fault young master, if anything it was my fault and-"

"Why do you guys always try to shoulder the burden alone?"

"What?" said RanFan confused.

"oh, sorry, it's just Ed and Al used to blame themselves for everything that had gone wrong, and what was wrong was that they individually tried to carry the weight by themselves and for awhile that drove a wedge between them. I can't help but see that in you guys."

"I see."

"A great man once told me that some people speak through their action more easily than words, but I think those people still understand when someone says something, so why not talk to him.

* * *

"I'm sorry, for everything."

"Why do you blame yourself, it was for a goal we both shared."

"Is that goal still there, can we still reach it."

"If we can each carry the burden together we can."

"Then the goal still exists, and we will reach it."

* * *

**Not the best so far.**

**Question: should we spend another chapter in Resembool or find RanFans Mechanic.**

**Read and Review please**


	6. To Fall and Rise

**There's a reason for the delay, our school managed to start an anime club so I've been really involved in that. But that's not really a reason to procrastinate so without further delay I present to you Chapter six of "After the Losses"**

**Oh wait, Further Delay**

**Disclaimers: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist**

**Spoilers for chapter 102**

* * *

_Every nerve screaming, drowning out her own voice. Another distant voice telling her that the surgery was almost over, her grandfather trying to reassure her also, wires attached to her arm._

"-UP, wake up." A hand was gripping her flesh shoulder, shaking her awake.

A hospital-like smell filled the air and for a moment the girl thought she was back in her nightmare, thought she still having her automail operation.

"Are you all right RanFan?" asked the blond women, her hand still on her shoulder.

"What happened." Asked RanFan looking around the room she was staying in. The Rockbells had been kind enough to let her and Riza sleep in the infirmary and the others in the basement.

"You where thrashing around in your sleep, bad dream?"

"I'm fine, I just need to get out of here for awhile," need to get away from the smell anesthetic.

"Will you be fine by yourself?" Asked Riza, looking out at the still dark sky "it's still five-thirty."

"I'll be fine, thank you Ms. Riza" she said as she donned a coat, tucking the left sleeve in so that it didn't get in her way.

"At least take Black Hayate with you, he's good company." She said nudging the small dog awake, while attaching a leash.

RanFan accepted the leash with a word of thanks before heading out the door. Resembool was, as she soon discovered, a simple town with simple people who were content to live by ranching and tending to sheep. "Simple" was something she didn't get enough of.

Because of left arm, or lack therefore of, her pace was kept slow as she shifted to the right and then had to shift left again, her canine companion followed every misguided step, staying at her slow gait. She had to admire the women who had trained him.

She came across what seemed to be a field with a few stone slabs residing on it, when she got closer she realized it was a cemetery. It was comforting somehow, to see a place that didn't have fresh graves, to know that at least this place hadn't been affected by the battle that had scarred her in so many ways.

She slumped against the simple wooden fence that encircled the cemetery; again she wondered what turn her life would take, where she would go. All those months ago she never would have thought she would be in a foreign country, petting a small dog while a metal contraption covered her stump of an arm.

"I wonder if things are any better in Xing." She thought aloud.

"I imagine they would be, but then again I don't know."

She jumped, then staggered from the unbalance of her arm before removing the dagger strapped to her ankle.

"You're the young lady from Xing, correct." Asked the man, completely unfazed by the blade held two inches from his throat, in his hand he held the leash to a much larger dog.

"It's nice to meet you again." He held out his other hand.

She looked at him for a second before noticing the milky white film that covered once bright eyes. She lowered her unseen weapon and took his hand, as they shook hands the large dog suddenly jerked, causing Roy to fall to the ground.

"Hey, Hayate come back here." He yelled as the dog started towards the real Black Hayate. "Honestly, I don't know what's gotten into that dog, usually the Lieutenant has so strictly disciplined."

"Um, Colonel Sir, that's not Hayate, that's Miss Rockbells dog."

"Oh" he said trying to cover his embarrassment "I thought he seemed heavier, anyway you can stop with the "Colonel" thing I'm not really sure if I'm still with the military."

"Yes, I find myself in a similar situation." She said without thinking.

"Oh really, I thought Xing didn't have a formal military force."

"We don't, but every clan is like a nation within its self, the royal guard system works as protection for the clan or rather each clan's officials."

"So it's all for the one on top then ."

"In most clans it is, but the young prince puts his people first." She hesitated "I fear that will be his downfall, I fear that _was _his fall."

"Do you think he's fallen?"

"I don't want to believe so, but the people of Xing hold fast to old customs and superstitions; it's likely that they won't accept a ruler who is possessed by a demon." She said flatly.

"Heh, don't we all have our demons."

"What about you Mr. Mustang, have you fallen."

"I'm not sure, but if I have I know that those around me won't let me stay on the ground, I mean you wouldn't let him, would you?"

"I suppose your right."


	7. Mentors

**Hey it didn't take me an eternity to finish chapter seven!!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist**

**Spoilers for chapter 102 (Though you should know this by now,)**

* * *

** "**Thank you for escorting us, Colonel." Said Ling as he gazed out the window to watch falling snow accumulate on the glass.

"It's no trouble; to be honest I need to re-learn how to live without my sight and this clinic in the north is famous for their quick rehabilitation procedure, I mean this young lady finished her automail rehab in six months and-"

"I didn't exactly finish my rehabilitation, I didn't really tell my mechanic I was leaving" she said, a sad look in her eyes, her hand went to her automail port. "Nonetheless their people are willing to work with as much effort as the person, their very strict, and caring."

"Hey RanFan" said Ling "I don't mean to pry, but how did you pay for your surgery anyway."

RanFan smiled "There was a Briggs academy conjoined with the clinic; Grandfather taught Xing martial arts in exchange for my surgery."

"Oh" Fuu had been a teacher till the end; he had been Lings mentor in the way of fighting, of life, on how to rule. He had been his only father figure, more so than the dying man in Xing who sent his children out to search for immortality.

"Oh look, there's North City." Said Riza pointing out the snow-blurred to a cluster of lights. The train slowed as it pulled into the station, the snow only got heavier.

* * *

"YOU LITTLE BRAT!" yelled a women in her thirties as RanFan stood in front of her, face down. "I pick you out of a blizzard, I give you an arm, I put your stubborn little ass through rehab and then I wake up and your gone, no note, no warning, just gone.

"Now you come crawling back ,your arms in pieces, your shoulders torn up and you bring a bunch of freaks with you." She huffed jutting a thumb toward Ling, Riza and Roy who stood in silence as the women yelled.

"I'm sorry about the arm" RanFan whispered "but I need repairs, I'll find a way to pay-"

"Oh shut up I don't need your money, where's the old man? The troops next door have gotten soft since he stopped training them."

RanFan looked down, biting down on her lip.

"Miss, we lost Fuu in the recent battle of Central" said ling "his was a noble death."

The woman said nothing for a moment then instructed RanFan to go down the hallway where a woman named Melody could take care of her shoulder.

"So" said the woman pulling up a chair "You must be Ling."

"Yes, how can you tell?"

"Heh, it was hard to get little Ranny to shut up about you, she would go on and on." Said the woman as she gestured them to sit down in her office chairs. "The names Sandra by the way, I made Ranny's arm and acted as her physical therapist, well when she was here anyway."

"I'm sorry about that, it was my fault she left early, I'll pay for the repairs and-"

"You think cash is going to pay for the pain she's going to go through while we fix her arm; you think money will get her through her rehab?"

Ling looked away.

"What about you two did you just come two watch and old women chew out a couple idiot kids or did you actually come for something?"

Roy could almost feel Ling slump in his chair, the kid definitely didn't need this women yelling at him. "Ma'am I've come here because this is rumored to have one of the greatest rehabilitation wards in Amestris-"

"No, here we can only go as far as the patients willing to put themselves, we're not the best, our patients are the toughest, you have to be at least as tough as Ranny to stay here, if not we ship you to West City and let you get pampered there, here only the tough survive."

"A Briggs Philosophy."

"No, one for life."

"I assure I won't be heading west."

The women stared at him blankly for a second, and then started laughing. "You know, that's exactly what Ranny said, we'll take you on, but you'll go through hell with our counselors.

"Oh, and you." She snapped at Ling. "stop acting depressed just because an old lady yelled at you, and Ranny said you where a brave soul, what a joke."

Ling looked up, wondering how much RanFan had said about him to this woman.

"Hey Ranny always said you where a good fighter, though she might have been exaggerating on that too. Anyway I'll cut you a deal, you start teaching the troops next door and I'll take care of Ranny's arm free of charge."

"Oh thank you ma'am, but I can pay for the repairs and I'm not in the same league as Fuu." Said Ling.

"You'll be fine, Ranny says your strong and I'm inclined to believe her."

* * *

**Short chapters I know, but I'm trying to write more frequently.**

**This is my first time writing with OC characters, but we're going to see more of Sandra, and Melody will introduce in the next chapter.**

**Reviews would be nice and any suggestions would be appreciated. **


	8. luck

**All right chapter eight, I'm trying to pick up more of a plot so it's not going to be symbolism like the first couple of chapters where (well there still going to be some symbolism). I think this is actually going to be a longer story.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist**

**Spoilers: Chapter 102**

* * *

"_Troops_" somehow he thought he'd have students along the lines of the Briggs soldiers, maybe young adults at least, instead he stood in front of wide eyed children wearing school uniforms.

"Where's ?" asked a high pitched voice

"Yeah, Ms. Sandra said our classes where starting again, where's ?" said another.

Ling swallowed the lump in his throat, he hadn't wanted to accept it, how could he tell children.

"Fuu's gone," Said a voice from the doorway behind him "He went back to Xing."

"RanFan" Cried the children as they ran to her, all wanting to be the first to hug her. "Where did you go, where's grandpa Fuu, why'd he haffta go back to Xing?"

"I'm sorry, he had to go back for a family emergency." She said ruffling the Childs hair "Look at how big you've gotten."

Ling had never heard RanFan tell anything but the truth, now she refused to tell what had happened to her own Grandfather.

"Anyway, he left you a new teacher." She pointed at Ling "He's one of Fuu's students just like you guys."

One boy, a small one, came up to Ling and studied him for a minute before declaring "I don't like him, he has shifty eyes."

Long ago RanFan might have threatened the child, instead she ruffled his hair again and said "Give him a chance; he was one of Fuu's best students."

She walked out of the practice room that joined the Academy and the rehabilitation clinic and joined Sandra.

"I didn't think you had a soft spot for kids, Ranny." She said handing RanFan a chart with her therapy schedule.

"Those kid don't need to know the truth, there's enough sorrow here in the north."

"Yeah, a lot of those kids lost parents in that battle with Drachema a while ago, anyway let's get started on your arm."

* * *

The children left to change out of their school uniforms, leaving Ling alone with his thoughts, and Greed.

"She's tough" he offered.

"Yeah, she handled it way better than I did, and he was her grandfather."

"He was yours too wasn't he? You know your souls family."

"Yeah."

"Hey mister, why are you talking to yourself?"

Ling almost jumped as he turned to face the small boy who had commented on his squinty eyes. He stuttered for a moment trying to think of a believable answer.

"Hey Mister?" the boy said again.

"Yes."

"Are you RanFans boyfriend?"

"What? No, I mean what gives you that idea?" he flustered, his face a bright red.

"She talked about you a lot when she watched us train."

"She's a friend I've known since birth, and she's very important to me." But I've only been a burden for her.

The rest of the class walked in single file, wearing uniforms similar to the one RanFan had worn her first year of training.

"So what had Fuu taught you so far?" he asked the class at large.

Nostalgia rushed over him as the students named and demonstrated the basic martial arts he and RanFan learned so long ago, back when life was so much simpler.

"That was a good session." He called after an hour of watching the students practice with amazing dedication and discipline. "We can pick up there tomorrow."

The students left for their homes, Ling wondered where he would go. He had slept in the clinics lobby last night, but the receptionist had made it clear he couldn't do that again. In his own country he could stay anywhere simply because he was royalty; however he was in a foreign country without money and no political power.

"Prince Yao" called Riza from the door his students had just left through. "I've been searching everywhere for you, are you ready to go?"

"Go? Go where?"

"Didn't the colonel inform you, we've managed to rent a small apartment across the street-"

"What does this have to do with-"

"And as you _are_ a diplomat, we can't really let you spend your nights on the street." She smiled "The colonel could use some help until he regains his senses."

"What about RanFan?"

"I've talked to her; she says she'll come, but only to guard you."

"I thought she'd say something like that."

"You're lucky to have her."

"Yes I am, but I don't think that luck works both ways."

"If you ask her I'm sure she'll disagree."

* * *

**Chapter nine should be up soon as long as I finish all the projects the school board forces us to do.**

**This FanFic will remain K+, so don't ask if Roy and Riza or Ling and RanFan will be sharing a room because they won't.**


	9. new starts

**Chapter nine, sorry for the wait, I haven't had much time to type lately, but I have been writing in my spare time, so I've actually got up to chapter eleven hand written. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist**

**Spoilers: 102**

* * *

"Thank you again, Ms. Hawkeye." Said RanFan as she unrolled a new blanket onto her bed. Colonel Mustang and Ms. Hawkeye had allowed her and the young Prince to stay in their new (and small) apartment.

"RanFan, I've told you to call me Riza, I can't stand so much formality." She glanced over at RanFan "and ask if you need help with that."

She looked down at the bed she was trying to tend. Having been trained in combat all her life, house chores had never really been her forte, having only one arm didn't really help.

The apartment they were staying in was small, only two rooms, Ling had offered to sleep on the couch (once they managed to get one) but Riza insisted he stay with the Colonel in case he needed help. The alchemist was adapting to his lack of sight with amazing ease, already he had begun learning brail and his other senses had heightened.

"So RanFan." Said Riza as she took over RanFans futile attempts to fold the blanket. "Why did you come to a clinic so close to a military base if you where trying to avoid them?"

"Actually we came here be complete accident."

"How so?"

"Well, when we came north we were actually heading to Drachma, but before we even made it to the mountain range, my shoulder started to seize up, after awhile I started getting headaches and I guess at one point I fainted. All I remember is seeing the sign in front of the North City and then collapsing, the next thing I know Ms. Sandra's yelling at me for letting my shoulder get infected, and then she offers to make my arm for me."

"I knew it, underneath that attitude she really a kind person." Said Riza.

"Yeah, but her therapy methods are brutal, I hope the Mr. Mustang's prepared."

* * *

Mr. Mustang was currently hanging outside the window, held only by his shirt collar. Ling who was currently holding that collar yanked him back inside, both men ended up falling to the floor, gasping for breath.

"What… the hell… where you doing?" Ling breathed, getting up and latching the window closed.

"Sorry I-I thought it was the bathroom door." He responded lamely

The door… to the bathroom. Ms. Riza was right; the Colonel did need help if a simple trip to the bathroom could turn into a five-story plummet.

"Don't worry about it." He said and then laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing I was just thinking, back when I was twelve I was chasing a bird and almost ran off a cliff, actually I did fall off, RanFan grabbed me by my hair braid after I fell off."

"You wore it in a braid?" asked Roy, remembering the messy ponytail the boy had worn.

"Yeah, I actually started wearing it like this once I got to Amestris."

"Is that some sort of royalty custom." He asked

"Yeah, heirs are supposed to be educated, prideful and well groomed."

"Really."  
"Yeah, I never paid attention in classes, my experience with pride wasn't the good and as for "well groomed" well I don't really see how that affects leadership."

"Heh, you're going to make a hell of an emperor kid."


	10. training

**Chapter ten, I still don't much time to type , I have way to many school projects ( as I write this I'm listening to Shakespeare) but once I finish I should have more time, and I'll have more inspiration since the English dub of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood comes out soon.**

* * *

"Hey you get in here." A voice called from the room to her right.

Riza had just left Roy at his first therapy session and was going back to the apartment, when a scream broke through the air followed by the order.

"Hold down her shoulder" a wrench came out attaching the automail port to an arm, the shoulder jerked under her hand and then slumped as RanFan lost consciousness.

"Dahm kid, I told her to take care of her shoulder, now the port tried to reject her arm."

"Is she going to be all right?"

"Besides the missing arm, she'll be fine." Said Sandra as she pressed a wet washcloth to RanFans head. "Sorry to call you like this, in all honesty we're understaffed in the automail department; everyone in this area wants to be a big shot in the Briggs facilitates."

RanFan began to stir.

"Hey Ranny, you okay?"

"Is my arm functioning?"

"Little brat, I asked about you, not the metal."

"Oh, I'm fine." She looked around. "Ms. Riza, why are you here."

Sandra didn't let her answer "she had to hold down your shoulder because you didn't take care of it."

"Sorry" she looked down, then asked "when's my next therapy session,"

"Impatient as always, aren't you." She glanced down at a chart. "In about two hours, in the meantime test out some simple motions with your arm." She glanced at Riza. "You mind helping her; I'm late for another appointment." With that she thrust a handful of paper into her arms and left saying "Don't worry, Ranny knows what to do.

* * *

Roy tapped on the desk impatiently before asking "what time is it _now_ ma'am"

"Sir" replied the secretary " It is _still_ 11:36"

"Well how long is she going to take?"

"Please understand, sir. She's the only one here certified to work with automail, thus it takes time for her to make her rounds."

"Yeah, so stop complaining, I mean that brat doesn't take care of her-self, but at least she doesn't complain every five seconds." She strode across the room and sat opposite of Roy, and flipped through her papers.

"So, you've written here that you lost your sight three weeks ago, right."

"Yes"

"And you've started on Braille."

"Yes, I've managed to start on the basics, but what I really need is to regain my perception of where things and people are."

"There's not really much we can do for that here, it takes time."

Roy sighed, he didn't _have_ time.

"There is _one_ thing I can suggest." She said.

* * *

Ling waved off is last student as they left.

"Hey kid." Said Sandra "You have a new student."

* * *

"Oh that makes sense." Said Ling. "I guess if you learned to read auras, it would improve your perception of people and positions, I just didn't think Fuu would tell the kids about it."

"So you think I could learn."

Ling hesitated. "Well, it's not the easiest thing to learn, it took RanFan six months to complete her training and it took me almost a year. It's a combination of intense martial arts training and hours of meditation."

"But still, can you teach me?"

"Yeah, I guess we can start with sparring tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? Thanks."

"You won't thank me later". Ling thought. "How am I going to put a blind man through this?"

* * *

**Okay thanks for reading, we're almost to the end of the first arc of the story, I might start it in under a new name, if I do it will be titled ****"Depths of Flame"****, Just to warn you it will have some extremely sad moments.**


	11. Depths of Flame: Fear

**I know it's been a ridiculously long amount of time since my update, but I finally have time to type and write. Also I've started writing my own story, if any one wants to read it I can email it to you ( I really need some feedback.)**

* * *

Ling tugged on the rope again, he didn't want to rush but they had to set up camp before it got dark.

On the other side of the rope Roy felt the tug and sped up a little, they had been climbing this mountain for the last seven hours without rest. Two months ago when the young Xinganese boy agreed to teach him how to read auras he didn't think he would climb up the famous Briggs mounting range. For the last two months he had been learning the art of the Xinganese fighting style, Ling had taught him the basic movements and then set him up to spar with RanFan, this worked both as Roy's training and as rehabilitation for RanFan. This also set aside some time for Ling to speak to Riza.

Ling sighed and checked his map; they were nearing a clearing where they could set up camp. He was surprised by the quick process Roy had made in his training, at least the physical part, a man like Roy would have a harder time during the mental portion.

Reading auras was a difficult thing to learn, depending on the person it could be the back breaking martial arts, or the mental arts. To learn to read the auras it was best to go to a secluded area and concentrate on one aura (preferably a human) for several days. For Ling and RanFan they had been left in the desert around the land of Xing at the age of seven.

Roy felt the rope drop.

"This is it." Said Ling

"Great, so what now." Roy asked rubbing his hands together.

Ling sighed. "Now this."

Feeling extremely sadistic he turned around and gave a quick jab to Roy's neck. He sighed again as the man fell unconscious and fell to the snow littered ground.

Roy groaned as he tried to get to his feet but found that there where bonds at both his ankles and his wrists. In front of him he could feel a small fire.

"The ability to read auras is the ability to accept everything as it truly is, to accept the truth of the outside one must accept the truths within one's self."

Roy stopped struggling against his restraints.

Ling considered taking them off, but he remembered how he had reacted during his training and decided against it, a blind man running around a mountain range wouldn't be good.

"The next seventy-two hours will be hell." He hated the sound of his own voice. "You will leave yourself bare for yourself to see, anything you have felt, you will feel again."

Roy wore a puzzled look on his face as Ling pulled out a notebook Riza had been writing in for the last two months.

"January fifth 1891." Ling read. Roy stiffened .

"You are six years old, living in Central. Your mother is front you, do you remember what happened?"

_"Mum!"_

_ A gun was held at her forehead, the man behind her held the gun laughed as he pulled off the diamond necklace she wore._

_ He could only crouch in fear as the trigger was pulled and the mugger ran off into the shadows leaving him staring at his mother as a puddle of blood formed around her._

Ling watched the man shudder and continued to read. "Years have passed, you joined the military, you wanted to make a difference, you didn't expect to go to war.

_The land was quiet for a second, then an explosion rang in the distance and the air became a wall of bullets, every second was death that nearly missed him._

Ling watched as Roy closed his eyes tighter, as if though trying to block out the memories. He kept reading.

"You are underneath laboratory three, the homunculis Lust if coming after you, you are powerless."

_She had torn his gloves, Havoc was lying there bleeding, he couldn't let anyone else die before him, not again Dammit!_

Ling sighed again and closed the book.

"Wow kid, what the hell are you trying to do to him?" asked Greed.

"This is what a person had to do in exchange for the ability." Said Ling.

Roy still sat on the ground, a drop of blood fell from his tightly clenched hands where his nails had dug into his palm.


End file.
